Managing pre-examination stress through remote counselling using a sessionscript from a 'sentinel subject'

Twenty-five members of a class of 45 medical students preparing for final e xaminations were voluntary participants in a pre-examination stress-control exercise conducted four weeks before the start of examinations. The studen ts completed short questionnaires before and after reading the typewritten script of a counselling session of a member of their class (the sentinel su bject). In the pre-script questionnaires, 50% of the men and 35% of the wom en reported a high level of stress. On the post-script questionnaire, 68% i dentified with the subject being counselled. Only four persons (16%) report ed a reduction in stress after reading the script and one person recorded a n increase in stress. Seventy-two per cent of respondents (40% of students) indicated that they would use counselling services if they were available. The present study suggests that some form of counselling could be usefully included in distance education modules. The provision of counselling servi ces before examinations may prevent failure. The remote approach by sentine l subject script is an inexpensive method of providing such a service.